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« September 9, 2007 - September 15, 2007 | Main | September 23, 2007 - September 29, 2007 »
Twista Sizzle Reel for Adrenaline Rush 2007
I like the term "sizzle reel" applied to this promo video for Twista's new release Adrenaline Rush 2007.
Over at VidRap:
Twista f/Pharrell Williams - Give It Up
If Detox is Dr. Dre's last album that means he'll never retire.
But if he does complete Detox he's just quitting the "young man's game" of rapping:
He is devoting the next two months to working on Eminem's next album, and tells the Times anything unrelated to producing, weight training and time with his family is not on his agenda.
However, there is new business to report. Dre recently inked a multi-year production pact with New Line Cinema, under which he will join longtime collaborator, director Phillip G. Atwelll, to score and possibly direct films.
Lot's more on Dr. Dre past, present and future at the LA Times.
Jay-Z f/Pharrell - Blue Magic (Trailer)
This video is described as a "trailer" for Blue Magic, the first single off Jay-Z's upcoming American Gangster album. The fact that I'm posting it shows that I have totally capitulated to a breaking news, celebrity watch model, fitting for coverage featuring a Kanye/50 faceoff followed by a Jay-Z concept album [with the Jena 6 for human interest]. Enjoy!
Update:
Apparently this is a trailer for the actual video for which they were shooting Friday night.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jay-Z - Blue Magic f/Pharrell Williams [Video]
Jay-Z's Blue Magic Highest[?] Debut by a Rap Single
Hip Hop Weekly has been named one of MinOnline's Hottest Magazine Launches cosigned by Mr. Magazine!
Who knew? Congratulations!
After initial news regarding their creation, the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN) held a launch event Wednesday night and you can see the pictures here.
Though Kimora Lee Simmons was announced as the spokesperson, Valeisha Butterfield is described as the founder and is clearly the lady in charge. You can find out more about her and some other happening women that are involved in one unclear capacity or another at WEEN's new website in the About section.
Since this was simply a social event there's not much here to which to respond. However a commenter on my initial post, in which I express my suspicious inclinations regarding this organization, had the following to say:
They actually started this WEEN thing way before the congressional hearings were announced. Things like this take planning; you can't just spring it up in that short amount of time. The first WEEN meeting (which a friend of mine attended) was held right after the Don Imus thing. Since then, they have been planning - creating a website, getting members, being strategic. This is just the formal launch.
Instead of being cynical, you should recognize that regardless of when the first meeting took place, that the organization is needed. That's why the first meeting - in which only 20 guests were invited - had over 200 guests respond and nearly 100 attend.
You're right, things like this do take planning and, since these issues have been fairly big for years now one would expect something to emerge at an industry level sooner or later. That it began after the Don Imus controversy doesn't really say much about deeper concern since that was the point where it became clear that there was going to be a big backlash against business as usual.
How this group will actually function and what their true agenda is remains to be seen and will only be revealed by their actions. Just because they claim to be responding to real social concerns does not mean that their organization's actions will ultimately address such concerns in a relevant manner.
Given the fact that this organization has come into existence so late in the game regarding the foul treatment of women in hip hop suggests that something beyond social concerns are driving this group. The fact that external social pressures have been growing that could affect corporate bottom lines and that HSAN is involved should be enough to make anyone wonder why this group is gathering now.
I only said I was being cynical in a sarcastic manner. I'm really just being realistic given everything I've seen to date.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
HSAN Creates Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network [WEEN] Just in Time for Congressional Hearings
Russell Simmons Helps Diamond Industry Get Ahead Of Leonardo DiCaprio's Blood Diamond Flick
BBC Coverage of the Sept. 20th Protest for the Jena 6
I'm really blown away by response to the situation of the Jena 6 and thought I'd pull together some mainstream sources to get a sense of the visibility of today's protest. I haven't seen official numbers but reports range from thousands to tens of thousands. Lots of protests happened in other places too but the following news items focus on Jena, Louisiana.
Great Photos from ABC News:
Jena Six Protests: Race Debate Explodes in Louisiana
NPR:
'Jena Six' Case Prompts Mass Demonstrations
Reuters:
Civil rights protesters converge on Jena
MTV.com
'Jena Six' Rally Draws Supporters From Around The World To Louisiana
Detroit Free Press:
‘We’re a part of history’
All ProHipHop Coverage:
Katrina/Jena 6 Category
Bloggers raining links:
Notes from a Different Kitchen
Nah Right
MissInfo.tv
The Smoking Section
The Rap Up
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
It's Official: Jay-Z's American Gangster Album Due Nov. 6
Jay-Z to Release American Gangster Concept Album, Future With Def Jam Uncertain
Patches the Coolest Horse
So, ProHipHop readers, is Patches doing it for you?
Wait, I'm getting a strong sense-memory of the None Shall Pass Promo!
Kanye West's Stronger has seized the day on the Hot 100 singles chart while his Good Life featuring T-Pain debuts at no. 14, the top debut on the Hot 100.
50 Cent's Ayo Technology featuring Justin Timberlake is the fastest growing digital track also rising this week on the Hot 100 from no. 19 to no. 5. 50's I Get Money jumped from no. 45 to no. 20.
Top 10 Singles on the Hot 100:
1. Kanye West - Stronger
2. Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
3. Timbaland - The Way I Are feat. Keri Hilson
4. Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry
5. 50 Cent - Ayo Technology feat. Justin Timberlake
6. J. Holiday - Bed
7. Keyshia Cole - Let It Go feat. Missy Elliott & Lil Kim
8. Nickleback - Rock Star
9. Pink - Who Knew
10. Plies - Shawty feat. T-Pain
From the press release officially announcing Jay-Z's upcoming American Gangster album:
On November 6, Roc-A-Fella Records and JAY-Z will release the new album AMERICAN GANGSTER. Separate from the official motion picture soundtrack, this collection of all-new original material is a musical journey and lyrical interpretation of snapshots from the upcoming motion picture American Gangster, which pairs Oscar(R) winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Based on the true story of criminal mastermind Frank Lucas, who came up from the streets of New York in the '70s, the film is produced by Academy Award(R)-winning producer Brian Grazer and directed and produced by Ridley Scott. It opens on November 2.
The conceptual, full body of work from the new album balances the line between pure entertainment and real life. JAY-Z draws upon past experiences, speaking to the harsh reality of the drug trade still taking place in our nation's cities. While not glorifying the Frank Lucas story, JAY-Z articulates the lure of a gangster's life and stands as an example of one who chose to leave those streets behind to go on and become one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time.
Throughout AMERICAN GANGSTER, JAY-Z brings the audience into a world rich in familial relationships, hustling and the lasting effects of drugs on a community. Through its musical tone, the album complements the story as told in the major motion picture release.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Jay-Z to Release American Gangster Concept Album, Future With Def Jam Uncertain
American Gangster: New Denzel Movie, New Jay-Z Album
Trailer for American Gangster Starring Denzel Washington
The mystery of the new Jay-Z album and its relationship to the upcoming movie American Gangster has been resolved by an article in the NY Times:
Jay-Z, the rap superstar and president of Def Jam Records, has quietly returned to the studio to record an album of new songs inspired by the forthcoming movie "American Gangster," his first "concept" album and second CD in less than a year.
The album, which his label plans to release in early November, came together over the past few weeks after Jay-Z was shown the film, directed by Ridley Scott, in which Denzel Washington portrays Frank Lucas, a early 1970s Harlem heroin kingpin.
Jay-Z's not in the movie and though an older song of his has turned up on the trailer it's unclear whether he's on the actual soundtrack or not though it sounds like they're open to chopping things up given the unsteady history of the American Gangster movie. Def Jam is releasing the official soundtrack as well with music by the Staple Singer, Bobby Womack and Sam & Dave.
Apparently Jay-Z gets to go down memory lane when he was a big drug dealer [on earlier albums], or dealt on the corner for big fish, whatever. He also gets to align himself with a major criminal who snitched yet disassociate himself from that element of Frank Lucas' past in a song off the new album called No Hook:
Please don't compare me to other rappers. Compare me to trappers.
I'm more Frank Lucas than Ludacris. And Lude is my dude, I ain't trying to dis.
Just like Frank Lucas is cool, but I ain't tryin' to snitch.
I'm-a follow the rules, no matter how much time I'm-a get.
I'm-a live and die with the decisions that I'm-a pick.
I'm sure it's exactly the kind of thing Jay-Z's audience will eat up.
When asked about his relationship with Def Jam:
In the interview he deflected questions about his future. "I would love to work it out" and stay at Def Jam, he said, but he added that he was wavering and would do some "soul-searching" after finishing the album.
Bringing his issues out in the open with Def Jam is a big statement for Jay-Z who usually keeps these kinds of things quiet till it's time to move.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
It's Official: Jay-Z's American Gangster Album Due Nov. 6
American Gangster: New Denzel Movie, New Jay-Z Album
The Mixtapeshow.net has dropped Mixtape 88 - The Jena 6. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet but here's a bit from Dex Digital:
A few days ago I posted a call for messages from the community on this situation, and got literally dozens of calls, which I’ve also added into the mix. You’ll hear people from California, Chicago, NYC, South Africa, Canada, London, and beyond. Rappers, filmmakers, label presidents, students, and everything in between.
Sorry I slacked off and didn't participate but sounds like there were plenty of folks involved so check it out!
Related Coverage:
Events Around Nation to Coincide With Sept. 20th Rally in Jena, Louisiana
Jena 6: Empowerment Concert, Rally in Jena, David Bowie Donates $10k to Legal Defense
Mr. Top Blogger has news of an upcoming Jay-Z album and threatens to post a new track tomorrow.
Apparently it's to be called American Gangster which is indeed the name of a new movie about Harlem crime boss Frank Lucas starring Denzel Washington with such notable participants as Idris Elba, RZA, T.I. and Common. Fab Five Freddy is listed as a Consulting Producer.
So it may actually be the soundtrack since Jay-Z may have a track or two in the movie. Whatever's up, the Forbes Remix with 50 Cent & Diddy and appearances with Kanye West at the GQ Anniversary are a great start to a surprise campaign.
Trailer:
American Gangster
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
It's Official: Jay-Z's American Gangster Album Due Nov. 6
Jay-Z to Release American Gangster Concept Album, Future With Def Jam Uncertain
Konsole Kingz + Lil Jon + Halo 3 =
This weekend the Konsole Kingz hosted a Halo 3 Preview Party sponsored by Microsoft at Patchwerk Studio in Atlanta. The game is slated for a September 25th release.
Photo Opp with Big Boi at Stankonia Studios
Big Boi got a visit at Stankonia Studios while celebs in attendance at the Preview Party at Patchwerk Studio included:
Lil Jon, E-40, Ying Yang Twins, Lil' Scrappy, Fabo of D4L, Bonecrusher, Bobby Valentino, Ike Dirty, Playaz Circle, Rasheeda and Khujo Goodie.
Kane & Khujo Enjoying Halo 3 at Patchwerk Studio
More pics and positivity from the Konsole Kingz.
The Xbox 360 VIP Halo 3 Kit
There are many good reasons to be a Friend of Bill's!
Halo 3 - The Game
Official Site:
Xbox.com: Halo 3 Central
Congratulations to two folks known in hip hop blogging circles for being nominated for the 2007 ADCOLOR Awards.
Michael Miraflor of the currently MIA Hip Hop and Advertising has been nominated in the Rising Star category.
Hadji Williams of HustleKnockin' has been nominated in the Innovator category.
Best of luck!
The following research studies are good reminders that marketers have to consider and address the diversity within any demographic schema.
The NPD Group's Boometrics study, conducted for the National Association of Recording Merchandisers and AARP, shows that "baby boomers (born between 1941 and 1964) now account for a third of all music sales."
In addition:
More than 70 percent of the 76 million baby boomers in the U.S. report buying music in the past year, making it the most important buying segment for CDs and an increasingly important market for digital downloads.
Market to us while you can but don't assume we all like the same things or like being lumped together by age. Ask Eons!
The Yankelovich MONITOR Multicultural Marketing Study for 2007/2008 found that African American and Hispanic respondents enjoy advertising more than other ethnic groups but find it only somewhat relevant "personally and culturally".
Emphasizing that as artists cross over into mainstream markets they may seem less authentic to African American or Hispanics, the press release gives an example using hip hop:
Hip-hop music is a good case-in-point. When African American respondents were asked about aspects of their culture and traditions they feel are the most important to preserve, "Music/Songs" was cited second most frequently, right behind "History."
As different types of African American music/songs become increasingly borrowed by the general population, they may become less effective as a means of connecting directly with African American consumers. So in this example mainstream hip-hop artists that are known to general audiences would not be considered as authentic as using more "underground" artists known exclusively by African American audiences.
The Yankelovich study also emphasized that ethnic groups are not homogenous and that "multicultural marketing needs to become more multi-dimensional", a point made in a different way regarding Hispanic diversity as revealed in BIGresearch's latest Simultaneous Media Survey.
Official Sites of Research Firms:
The NPD Group
Yankelovich
BIGresearch
Free The Jena 6 T-Shirt - [I got one & they look good with crisp readable-at-a-distance printing.]
Whoa, this is great! The Jena 6 Empowerment Concert scheduled for September 29th in Birmingham, Alabama will feature Nick Cannon, Lloyd, Baby Boy, Sean P, Twista, Tank, Jagged Edge, Killer Mike, Bobby Brown, DTP's Small World and Hurricane Chris.
The event is designed to raise awareness of the situation of the Jena 6 and will help build nationally following tomorrow's Rally in Jena, LA.
Billboard also reports that David Bowie has donated $10,000 to legal defense for the Jena 6! That cat stays relevant with great ease.
Can't make it to Jena, Louisiana?
Events Around Nation to Coincide With Sept. 20th Rally in Jena
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Please Support the Jena 6 Directly
Jena 6: September 20th March Info & Additional Resources
Related Hip Hop Logic Coverage:
Hip Hop and the Jena 6: Calling All Rappers
Democracy Now Overview of the Jena Six Disaster
Official Sites:
Free The Jena 6
Jena 6 T-Shirt
Kanye West, 50 Cent and Kenny Chesney take the top three positions respectively on the Billboard 200 album chart yet, despite high sales figures for these three, "sales are still down 9% compared to the same week last year at 9.16 million."
Top 10 Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Kanye West - Graduation
2. 50 Cent - Curtis
3. Kenny Chesney - Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
4. Soundtrack - High School Musical 2
5. Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus
6. Fergie - The Dutchess
7. Nickelback - All the Right Reasons
8. Colbie Caillat - Coco
9. NOW! That's What I Call Music 25
10. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds "re-enters the top tier 12-10 with a 14% sales increase to 31,000; it was precisely this week one year ago that the effort bowed at No. 1."
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
It's Official: Kanye West Massacres 50 Cent in Soundscan Showdown
I'd heard that there was quite a bit of negative response to the initial news that MC Hammer would join the TechCrunch40 Conference that happened on Monday and Tuesday in San Francisco so I was surprised to see that the initial post with the announcement has numerous supporters in the comments who actually seem full of clues.
If you haven't spent much time on tech blogs you probably haven't seen just how clueless, negative and even racist the response can be when hip hop and tech cross paths. There's something about a room dominated by white boys that just seems to lead in that direction.
In Hammer's case the criticisms seemed to be more that he was known for U Can't Touch This long ago and went bankrupt so how could he have any relevance to a tech conference though some did address what little they knew of his actual background since Hammer Time.
Happily I guess the opportunity to make Hammer Pants jokes and assume that because tech people haven't heard about Hammer that he couldn't be doing anything relevant to understanding markets of which they are not a part relieved the necessity of more typically racist-tinged responses.
At the conference itself MC Hammer did just fine given that posts about the conference present a rush of brief presentations and panel one-liners. There may have been more in-depth response going on at the event but the TechCrunch posts give one the sense that pedigrees were really important since there seemed to be little context in which to judge off-the-cuff claims other than reputation within the Silicon Valley oriented tech crowd.
As it turns out, MC Hammer has a new online project called DanceJam and Michael Arrington, the big boss behind the TechCrunch empire, is an investor. Hammer announced back in August that DanceJam will launch September 18th [still to come at this point] but apparently the news that Arrington was an investor is new and got folks all riled up yesterday.
Don Dodge describes the demo Hammer, "one of the original rap artists" [ha ha, good times!], gave him:
DanceJam can best be described as YouTube mashed up with American Idol. Users can contribute their own dance videos to the site for others to see and vote on. The DanceJam people set up "Dance Offs" where they put two dance videos up against each other and have the user community vote for a winner. After several rounds of voting they declare a champion.
Actually this sounds like a great idea given the incredible conjunction of dance tracks with readymade dances, kids making their own dance videos and official YouTube dance contests. This dance-centered activity is in a growth phase with huge potential.
I'm sure the tech community will sort out whether or not Michael Arrington did not properly disclose his relationship with MC Hammer and DanceJam and then will remind us constantly in the comments section of TechCrunch for years to come.
MC Hammer will just keep doing his thing.
Official Site:
Dance Jam
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
MC Hammer Blogs With Heart
Billboard is officially reporting that Kanye West's Graduation had first week sales of 957,000 "posting The Billboard 200's largest sales total in more than two years."
50 Cent's Curtis moved 691,000 units in what should be a week of celebration for the artist who seems to be dealing with a lot of conflicting emotions at the moment.
One would hope that Kanye could calm down now but he will most likely take these sales figures as vindication for his poor behavior. Feed the ego, get more of the ego.
Lots of interesting stuff in the Billboard article:
The total for West's "Graduation" is the largest by any album since 50 Cent's "The Massacre" opened with 1.1 million copies in March 2005..."Graduation" also rings up the largest week yet by a digital album download, starting with 133,000, beating the prior record of 102,000, set earlier this year by Maroon 5's "It Won't Be Soon Before Long."
Kenny Chesney Pirates & Poets [& Whatnot] moved a respectable 387,000 copies.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Forbes Magazine Offers Billion Dollar Remix for Download
Final Scratch Cover Featuring 50 Cent & Timbaland
SCRATCH Magazine says goodbye and smarter people than I suggest that the "XXL Presents" branding move and related editorial changes killed this one.
Update:
Eskay reminds us that he's no Bill Clinton:
It’s not a rumor. Scratch magazine has folded and issue #20 will be the last. So I hope all you purist snobs are happy. You didn’t buy it when it targeted you, then you screamed bloody murder when Wayne and Jeezy ended up on the cover. You didn’t know what you wanted, and now you have nothing.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Scratch Magazine To Relaunch With XXL Support
Diddy offers the possibility of webcam nuttiness in support of the release of Unforgivable Woman from Sean John Fragrances:
Unforgivable is the first fragrance to host a launch party to be broadcast live on the internet, allowing millions of viewers to have unlimited VIP access to the red carpet arrivals and even go inside this celebrity packed event. Located inside a $35 million mansion in one of New York's most exclusive neighborhoods...
Guest celebrity hosts will guide viewers through the party. They will be your connection to the happenings at the hottest party of the year. Via instant message, hosts will ask user-generated questions to Diddy and the other celebrities strolling down the red carpet. And, it will all happen LIVE.
They will next take viewers inside the party to see the elaborate decorations and watch the Unforgivable models acting out scenarios to the entertainment of guests while they hear the music pump from DJ Soul's table.
So get your "user-generated questions" ready and "log on to the live webcast at www.myspace.com/diddy on September 19th from 10pm-12am EST."
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
MTV Bans Extended Unforgivable by Sean John Ad for Cute Undies Not Self-Indulgence
Felicia Pride - The Message
Felicia Pride's The Message: 100 Life Lessons From Hip Hop's Greatest Songs is due October 7th from Thunder's Mouth with a striking cover.
From the press release:
Felicia Pride extracts empowering lessons embedded within the genre's most popular songs. Growing up with hip-hop, she has come to realize the way it shaped how she thinks, writes, and reacts, making her the person she is today. In The Message, she uses short essays, aptly titled after a hip-hop song, and written in the language of the culture, to explore the themes of spirituality, success, business, and love. Incorporating her own experiences and reflections with the rapper's message, Pride goes on to share the wisdom she has learned from hip-hop and focuses on the positive influence the music has on its audience.
Lynne d Johnson has lots of nice things to say about Felicia Pride. Ms. Pride has both a blog and a MySpace page and is the founder of BackList among many other accomplishments.
After many long years that apparently contained some serious self-doubt and artistic soul searching, Rage Against The Machine's Zack De La Rocha has completed the solo album he's been working on since first leaving RATM in 2000.
According to Billboard:
Sources familiar with the album say it features De La Rocha playing keyboards and that the sound is a hybrid of "Led Zeppelin and Dr. Dre. Some of it has the power you'd expect from him in Rage."...De La Rocha is understood to be unsigned and mulling offers for how to best distribute the album.
Post-Rage, De La Rocha has recorded material with DJ Shadow, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and the Roots' ?uestlove, but it is unknown if any of these tracks appear on the finished album. One song with Reznor, "We Want It All," appears on the 2004 compilation "Songs and Artists that Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11."
I'm quite curious about what he's bringing out. I loved Rage Against The Machine and haven't been that happy with anything I've heard out of that crew since the breakup. I'm not hoping for anything quite as good but it will be worth checking out.
StreetCred.com officially launched today as a "hip-hop centric, interactive social media network that aggregates the hip-hop culture onto a single global platform". T.I. is the "celebrity spokesperson" for what is promoted as a "movement".
Streetcred.com soft-launched in July and was developed by StreetCred Media Group, based in Atlanta, who also operate StreetCred Mobile.
Official Site:
StreetCred.com
Roxanne Shante in Beef III
In Beef III Roxanne Shante talks about the clause that forced her label to finance her education all the way through the doctoral level at a cost of around $175,000. That probably makes her one of the major financial successes of the early years.
Via Playahata.com.
Saying they've never been signed to Diplomat Records and that they built the Diplomat brand in Europe largely on their own, S.A.S. is leaving Dipset behind.
Via illseed who is doing an excellent job of building out that highly trafficked little gossip column into its own division of AllHipHop.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Do Jim Jones/G-Unit Rumors Signal End of Dipset?
Forbes is really down to profit from their embrace of hip hop and they've even posted the Forbes I Get Money remix featuring 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Diddy currently going by Forbes 1, 2, 3 Remix and Billion Dollar Remix.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
It's Official: Kanye West Massacres 50 Cent in Soundscan Showdown
50 Cent Cancels European Appearances; I Get Money Forbes 1, 2, 3 Remix w/Jay-Z & Diddy Drops
Hip Hop Cash Kings, Hot Rods & Dead Rappers @ Forbes
The Giant Peach at MAGIC
The Giant Peach has a video with a "taste of what's to come for Holiday & Spring for some of our lines" from their late August trip to the MAGIC fashion trade show in Las Vegas.
At first it seemed like 50 Cent was getting over his initial disappointment at the sales of Curtis versus sales of Kanye West's Graduation as reports of "50 and Hot97’s 5-borough tour" and news of an upcoming 50 Cent/G-Unit SIRIUS Satellite Radio concert came in.
But now 50 Cent seems to be cancelling major European appearances due to Kanye's victory on the UK charts. Not a good sign if that's the case.
Update:
And now the I Get Money Forbes Remix with Jay-Z and Diddy joining 50 Cent drops everywhere. Drew says it's missing the Jay-Z verse. Perhaps Miss Info has it.
Eskay says he has the full Hov version.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
It's Official: Kanye West Massacres 50 Cent in Soundscan Showdown
Forbes Magazine Offers Billion Dollar Remix for Download
Goolish Glow-in-the-Dark Vent-Tech 6-inch Premium
I'm kind of digging Timberland's new Goolish Glow-in-the-Dark Vent-Tech 6-inch Premium boots.
Goolish Glow-in-the-Dark Vent-Tech 6-inch Premium
They're much hyphier than Timberland's hyphy boots.
Hyphy 6-Inch Premium
Spoke too soon. I hadn't seen the orange soled Hyphy Boots though I think that honeycomb look is hard to beat.
Sounds apocalyptic but that's what The Smoking Section is considering. However it takes more than rumors to end Dipset. TSS asks the deeper question: where have they been all summer?
Like it or not, during the past few summers, we've always been treated to something by the Dips. No matter if it was ignorant in the opinion of some, it was always entertaining and contained potential anthems. Soundtracks for summer.
There is no "This Is Jim Jones" with Jimmy and Cam flossin over the groove. Where's the "Get'em Daddy" remix type material? The mixtapes? No "Oh Boy" or those sample-driven tracks by the Heatermakerz to straight take over the airwaves. There is no new slang, ad-libs & trends that would capture everyone's attention & filter into Middle America lexicon & dress. No plotless but enjoyable DVD's like Killa Season or A Day In The Fast Life. There's no threats of kufi-slapping or Hot 97 blowouts...nada.
Despite my frequent annoyance I too found them entertaining. But I think we all knew that something had gone awry with their fearless leader when Cam'ron made his infamous poolside video series responding to 50 "Curtis" Cent.
Update:
FILNO offers an alternate scenario.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Dipset Crumbles: S.A.S. Are "Free Agents"
Master P - Guaranteed Success
Master P's Guaranteed Success released earlier this month with a cover it's hard not to judge rather harshly. It looks cheap and the photo doesn't communicate anything about success except that, yes, it's Master P aka Percy Miller.
On the styling tip, you can tell this is a man who dresses himself. Honestly, he could really use a makeover now that he's getting a fresh start.
Queen Latifah says she'll be back with a rap album:
"I have some music I've already been working on...I don't really want to drop the rap album while ('Trav'lin' Light') is out."...
"I've always been sort of socially conscious," she notes. "For me it's always about mixing some sort of topic with a hot beat and a good hook...there'll be a good mix of party records and content records mixed with some hot music."...
Latifah is confident there's still an audience that will be receptive to her rapping again.
"I think there's a bunch of rap heads and hip-hop lovers who are my age," she says. "They just want good music that's not shallow. They really want more from their music. Nobody's really filled my shoes yet. There's still room for me to do my thing."
She's right, no one has filled her shoes and this might be an awesome time for her return. There's certainly plenty of topical content to consider, real interest in older artists and an empty space where many women should be. I don't think she'll just be for the old folks either but that ultimately depends on what she releases.
Promo Video for Havoc's The Kush
Havoc of Mobb Deep's solo debut, The Kush on Nature Sounds, is due next week.
On Saturday Marc Ecko snagged Barry Bonds historical home run ball for $752,467 at a Sotheby's/SCP auction.
In a rather cool gesture Ecko is asking fans to decide what to do with this special ball.
Young Doe - Welcome to the Maze Album Promo
This is a lively short promo video for Young's Doe's upcoming release Welcome to the Maze. Young Doe aka Charles Truth is out of Denver, Colorado and it turns out the album is based on a book he's self published called Welcome to the Maze: A Novel.
Charles Truth - Welcome to the Maze: A Novel
Bonus Footage:
Young Doe aka Charles Truth - Hunid Racks & Remy
Just ran into this recent video single by Young Doe aka Charles Truth, Hunid Racks & Remy.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
100 Racks/Hunid Racks Energy Drink Copromotes With Yukmouth & Messy Marv, C-Bo Albums
Dex Digital is working on a Jena 6 Episode of The Mixtape Show and you've got a couple of days to call in and get your thoughts included. Click through to his blog for the number and more info on what you might contribute.
And if you've shown your support for the Jena 6 on your blog or website please let me know so I can include you in ProHipHop and Hip Hop Logic's roundup:
Support the Jena 6 & Get a Link at ProHipHop & Hip Hop Logic
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Please Support the Jena 6 Directly
Jay Smooth Speaks With NYOil On the Future of Music
Jay Smooth has a two part interview with NYOil about the music industry but more for fans hoping for change than for folks seeking industry insights.
Part 1 looks at the disarray of the music industry as a good thing. NYOil claims it will get harder but that the lack of easy money will cause great content to return.
I appreciate the hopefulness but great art comes when it comes. I think there are some hopeful trends emerging but I've been hearing variations on how good it's going to get when things get bad since the early 80s and none of that held true in any area where I heard it. [Sidenote: especially when it involved "increasing the contradictions".]
Part 2 focuses on NYOil's use of MySpace and YouTube to attain his current status and his thoughts on the breakthrough track Y'all Should All Get Lynched.
Part 2 is nice on the artist end but the "strategy aspect" is cursory at best. Not a slam on Jay Smooth or NYOil but certainly a reminder that I need to do a ProHipHop interview with the man on what he did on MySpace and YouTube besides drop a startling, hot track.
It's kind of funny that other people complain about writers not writing about the art and I complain about the lack of business insights! Oddly enough that comes from my own background as an artist and my long held belief that critics were mostly beside the point.
Music industry news from Hypebot:
A new survey showed that there are actually more active music buyers than there used to be; the problem is that each of them is spending a whole lot less than they used to.
Britney may be an easy target but she helped this year's MTV Video Music Awards hit new records.
The European Union is set to re-endorse the merger of Sony BMG despite the objections of many indie labels.
EMI's Angel has launched ScoutR, an "A&R 2.0" social networking and music discovery site where fans become ears for the label.
There are strong signs that Yahoo! Music could close or be altered drastically.
MySpace use slid a bit in recent weeks but Facebook is continuing a steady climb upward.
The march to DRM free downloads continues. The UK's 7Digital is offering the entire Pink Floyd catalog DRM free and rumors are that the Amazon all mp3 store could finally launch this week.
Apple which only last week guaranteed continued dominance with a new line of iPods and a mobile version of iTunes failed in an ingoing attempt to thwart free custom ringtone creators for its hot iPhone.
MP3 blog Earvolution is launching a record label. Is this a trend? Will ProHipHop or Hypebot be next?
Hypebot began the series "100 Free & Affordable High & Low Tech Music Promotion Tips". Here are tips 1-10, 11-20 and 21-30.
See ProHipHop's Hypebot Industry News category for past roundups.
Kimora Lee Simmons recently unveiled a new Baby Phat fragrance collection and revealed her plans for future fragrances:
This week in New York City, she launched her new Baby Phat fragrance collection. A second freestanding scent, Fabulosity, will join the lineup this fall. Simmons says also has two additional scents to her Goddess fragrance line coming out in the spring. "I'd also like to do a [fragrance] splash for my daughters," Simmons said.
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